Air Max Day 2023 is right around the corner, and sneakerheads have yet to lose any love for the shoe that started it all, the Air Max 1. While it’s landmark 35th anniversary has been and gone, this year is still stacked with incredible new AM1 releases, with the return of the Big Bubble being chief among them. For this issue of SELEKT, we’ll be going over some of the most anticipated Air Max 1 releases of 2023.
Safari
What better way to start than a classic Nike theme, the ‘Safari’ print. This month the print comes in subtle greys on the muted white leather upper of the ‘SFR Summit White’. The print is also put to good use on the ‘Safari Beige’ colourway, coming in a neutral blend of animal prints on panels of beige leather and woven mesh. If you’re looking for something more vibrant there’s also the upcoming ’87 ‘Wild Animal’ pair, featuring a colourful mix of cowhide and tiger stripes.
Corduroys
If you’re looking for a material shake-up, we’ve got some Sean Wotherspoon vibes on a couple of upcoming corduroy AM1s. First up is the ‘Baltic Blue’ droppin on the 17th of March. The pair comes in a series of cord panels, blending together in a lively bright blue colourway, complete with yellow Swooshes on the sides.
On the other end of the spectrum we’ve got the ‘Coral Stardust’ dropping in May. Sporting the same corduroy makeup, but in a warm coral pink colourway with bright orange Swooshes.
Shima Shima III
In terms of returning classics, we’ve got the third iteration of the ‘Shima Shima’ pack, originally released back in 2003. The ‘Shima Shima III’ neatly blends the colours of the last two Shima Shima AM1s, coming in a mix of brown suede and clean grey leather. This colourway also features a unique striped pattern on the inner lining, and Japanese Kanji text on the tongue. The ‘Shima Shima III’ is set to drop on the 10th of March.
Design By Japan
Following up on the Japanese influence, the upcoming ‘Design By Japan’ colourway is inspired by Nike’s made in Japan running model, the Sting. The upper features leather panels in the Sting’s green and brown colours, with ‘Design By Japan’ text on the insoles. This pair also features some fitting 70s touches, including retro Nike branding on the tongue and aged yellow midsoles.
Air Max 1 Slides
Now for something a little different. As part of the Air Max day celebrations, Nike present the AM1 as you’ve never seen before, a slide. Like any slide, these come in an open-toed slip-on form, but with the iconic visible Air unit in the sole.
The Big Bubble ‘86
Finally, the one we’ve all been waiting for, the Big One, the Big Bubble. This release turns back time, presenting the AM1 in its original shape from 1986, complete with a larger window into the Air units in the heel. Nike even saw fit to add a little ‘Lost and Found’ magic, packaging this pair in a visibly worn shoebox. This return to form is set to drop, when else, the 26th of March, aka Air Max Day.
Shop the entire Air Max 1 range available on KLEKT, and don’t forget to stay tuned to KLEKTIVE for more coverage on upcoming releases.
